Hey guys, I have been a member here for a while just haven't posted in forever it seems. Life has had me very busy with a new baby, new job and other things. The gun bug has bitten me like it has so many times in the past.

I have my ccw permit (gotta renew it this april in fact) and I carry a Glock 30 as my primary weapon. In the winter time my G30 is hard to get to if I were to need it right away, this has lead me to this decision.

I want a .357 snub to fit in my coat pocket so that I could have my hands on it when my hands are in my pocket, if that makes sense. I would want to be able to fire it from my pocket if needed. Any suggestions?

Want to keep the budget around $500 but could go a little higher if needed.

S&W 640 sounds like what you are after. I have the 60 with a bobbed hammer and I really like it. Even though it is chambered in 357 I only carry 38's in it. I shoot it far better than I did the lighter versions I had

As noted; the slick Ruger LCR .357magnum should do very well.
The DAO(double action only) format SP101 5 shot with 2.25" barrel is good too. This was my first snub revolver in 1993.
The Smith & Wesson M&P without security lock can be great but it's not cheap.
Charter Arms Pugs are a good value. They have DA only versions & models with shrouds. Many like the large .44spl caliber Pugs, but the .357magnum is a good model.

In general Id pack a factory made .38spl +P or +P+. Then I carry .357magnum rounds in speed strips. Magnum loads are strong & the muzzle flash/blast might be too much.
A CT lasergrip isn't a bad add-on too. www.Crimsontrace.com It will help with aim & marksmanship.

Whatever you plan on buying, jam it in your pocket first if you ever thing you pocket carry in your jeans or slacks.

Personally, pocket carry with a snub prints way too much for my liking so when my 637 was my primary CCW gun, I carried it either OWB or IWB depending on what I was wearing.

Again, pocket carry may work for you but try before you buy. As far as coat pocket, I'd suggest an Airweight or similar from Smith & Wesson. Well made and they won't look like you have a brick in your coat pocket.

I couldn't imagine firing a .357 Mag round out of a 2" revolver. In reality, a 357 Mag in a small-barreled gun offers no appreciable advantage over a .38 Special +P. I have fired +P rounds out of a Model 60, and it ain't fun.

For pocket carry, with a substantial caliber, nothing beats a J-frame Smith. My wife carries this Smith M637 Airweight when out walking the dog along our farm road. A hammerless model would make more sense, but in practice sessions, she's never had it hang up while drawing. In .38 Spl., her preferred ammunition is Remington's 125 gr Golden Saber JHP's. Here's a pic, albeit with a pair of BBQ grips; for carry and night stand use, she's got Crimson Trace lasers on it.

Best Regards, Rod

__________________
Cherish our flag, honor it, defend what it stands for or get the hell out. Our Freedoms are not free, they've been paid for many times over by heros in uniform. Far better men than I, died that we could be FREE.

That's what I was going to suggest. The 640 has an internal hammer and is double-action only. Also, the new ones are a little beefier in the nose area; plus, they extended the barrel by 1/4" inch (from 1.875 to 2.125). I know it doesn't sound like much, but with a barrel that short, 1/4" could actually deliver a measurable velocity difference.

I'm not in the market for a 5-shot compact 357; but if I were, the 640 would be it, without hesitation. (I'd load it with 38+P's, but that's another post. )

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I think you should go with a ruger sp101 exposed hammer. It's a single/double action and I think it could easily be fired from inside a pocket. However the infamous blast of a 357 snubby will likely catch your clothing on fire if u try that.

Keep in mind, if you were to shoot through your pocket you would get a small amount of noise suppression, probably still hurt your ears. If you were to ever pull it out and shoot without some form of hearing protection your ears will hurt badly and may have permanent damage. I shot my S & W 66 one time without ear protection and will never do so again except in the most immediate of need.

The LCR's trigger is just lovely. I never realized how important a trigger could be until I shot that gun and was getting excellent results even at 25 yards. At close social work ranges like 7-10 yards patterning on the chest and head of the torso target was very easy.

If it gives the high esteem I hold for that trigger any weight, I also own and carry a 1968 Colt Detective Special, a wheelgun noted for a superb trigger pull. I still think the LCR's is excellent.

If you choose to go the pocket holster route, Id look at the new Sticky Holster line.
This US firm makes holsters that can convert to ankle or IWB.
Other good brands include the Tuff Products or the DeSantis Nemnesis.
I purchased a Nemnesis pocket holster in 2004 for my Taurus Ti Protector snub.

Tuff Products sells 5/6/7 shot Quik Strips.
They come in black or safety orange. I would buy the orange type to aid in seeing them quickly in low light & to avoid loss.

I've tried four different j-frames from the stainless 357's and the lighter weight 38's. They each have pro's & con's. So I decided if I had only one- which would it be? The answer was none of what I had so I sold them all to people eager to grab them up. And that's fine, their needs where not the same as mine. I replace them all with what I thought was the best choice. I bought a S&W MP360. It's a lighter weight black 357. However, at this writing, I didn't readily see it among the S&W revolvers on their website.
The stainless steel guns were fine for belted holster carry, but too heavy for pocket carry in a light jacket or especially summer shorts. The lighter guns were fine as far as sagging goes, but I desire the greater power of the 357. As far as recoil, for me it's mostly a non issue. I don't shoot my M&P360 and don't expect to unless the situation is absolutely necessary. And if that were the case, I really expect just a couple shots would do the job. It's not likely the bit of recoil sting in the hand would be a problem or even noticed. Of course I've fired other small handguns before, and I know how hard they can kick, so the recoil of my MP360 would come as no surprise. I'm also 100% confident it will be on target at such close ranges where these unfortunate events usually take place.

I like the LCR357. Depending on how you tolerate recoil, you can go from wild 357 loads to the mildest 38. I carry Corbon 357. I've carried this as a pocket back up or a IWB main carry. It makes a good back up for my SP101. When I go light my 442 backs up the LCR357.

While you do get more power out of a .357 than a .38, it's not for me out of a light weight snubby. The .357 is great from a full size steel revolver but the recoil and muzzle blast from a light snubby are too much for me. A relatively inexpensive 642/442 or LCR in .38 is what I would consider for a pocket gun.

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